Ip Hoi (1932-2023), came to Hong Kong with his family from Guangxi, China in the 40s and later joined the Hong Kong Police Force. He worked for the police for 40 years and retired as an Inspector. In 2018, he published a memoir titled 'Forty Years of Police Career,' describing his firsthand experiences with the inner workings of the Hong Kong Police Force. Rich in legendary stories, it can be said to be a microcosm of Hong Kong history.
His love towards art developed when he was young. In 1959, he was elected a member of the Photographic Society of Hong Kong, an Associate of the Royal Photographic Society. He was once awarded the title of the top 10 amateur salon photographer. He also loved to paint, acquiring his skills of Western and Chinese painting from famous local artists. A few years later, when he started to learn Chinese calligraphy, he was amazed by its versatility and determined to persevere in this form of art.
His works of calligraphy were selected by the Contemporary Hong Kong Art Biennial Exhibition for 9 times. 7 pieces of work were collected by the Hong Kong Museum of Art. One of them was selected to feature at the Shanghai Art Museum to celebrate the Shanghai World Expo in 2010. Another was recommended by the Hong Kong Museum of Art for exhibition on Google Art Project in 2011.
At the age of 83, he held his first solo exhibition in Hong Kong which was well received. In his later years, he still practiced calligraphy for several hours a day and concentrated on the attempt to mix Chinese calligraphy and various forms of display art. He is well-known for his creativity and modern approach.
He passed away in March 2023 due to illness at the age of 90. To commemorate Mr Ip, our exhibition studio is open for visitation from April 2023, exhibiting hundreds of his posthumous works. It is hoped that the "Seeing Ip Hoi" exhibition will serve as a substitute for the memorial service, where seeing his works is equivalent to seeing his ideas.
"Seeing Ip Hoi" exhibition has ended successfully in August 2024.